FIDE, the world chess organising body, has been particularly active lately. Following hard on the heels of the successful World Championship tournament in San Luis, Argentina comes the 128-player knockout event in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia. This event used to be known as the FIDE World Championship, but has been renamed the FIDE World Cup. A host of rule changes made over the last few months means it now serves as the major qualifying event to the next World Championship tournament.
So much activity after years of failing to organise successful World Championship matches may have something to do with the approaching FIDE Presidential election in May 2006. This time the incumbent, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, will have real competition in Dutch businessman Bessel Kok, who has recently announced he is running next year. Kok has a long and successful history of involvement with top-level chess, and is a popular choice among players and fans alike. However, Ilyumzhinov's commitment to democratic principles is best illustrated by his subsequent announcement of a plan to force all candidates to deposit US $1 million with FIDE for the privilege of running.
Today's game comes from the early rounds of Khanty Mansyisk and features a nice build-up into a crushing attack by Vasilios Kotronias of Greece playing White against Ni Hua of China.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Bd3 c5 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Qe2 0-0 7.Ngf3 a5!?
Tempting White to advance e5 and attack the Black King. Black's defence will be based around manouvring his knights to control e4. 8.0-0 Na6 9.e5 Nd7 10.c3 Naxc5 11.Bc2 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Nb3 b6 14.Nxc5 Nxc5 15.Rd1 Ba6 16.Qe3 Qe8?!
A typical Tarrasch French struggle has been taking place - White trying to control the central dark squares and pressure Black's centre pawns, while Black tries to activate his pieces and pawns. The last move allows White to force either a weakening pawn advance in front of the Black King, or the exchange of his vital dark-squared Bishop - Better was 16 --- Qe7. 17.Ng5! Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Ne4 19.Qh4! ---
White calmly preserves his two fine Bishops and slowly sets about building and irresistible attack on the dark squares left vacant by the absent Black Bishop. Black can do nothing. 19. --- Qc6 20.Be3 h6 21.Qg4 Nf6 22.Qg3 Kh8 23.Bd4 b5 24.Re1 Qe8 25.Re5 Qf7 26.Rae1 Bc8 27.Qh4 Bd7 28.R1e3 b4 29.h3! ---
Having placed all his pieces in readiness, White takes a simple precaution against back-rank checks before the final onslaught. 29. --- bxc3 30.bxc3 Rab8 31.Rg3 Rb2
The threat of Reg5 meant Black's situation was desperate. Now mate can only be prevented by catastrophic material loss. 32.Bg6 Qe7 33.Rh5 Kg8 34.Rxh6! gxh6 35.Qxh6
Even giving up the Queen with 35 --- Qg7 will not delay mate for long.
Political chess battle looms
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
FIDE, the world chess organising body, has been particularly active lately. Following hard on the heels of the successful World Championship tournament in San Luis, Argentina comes the 128-player knockout event in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia. This event used to be known as the FIDE World Championship, but has been renamed the FIDE World Cup. A host of rule changes made over the last few months means it now serves as the major qualifying event to the next World Championship tournament.
So much activity after years of failing to organise successful World Championship matches may have something to do with the approaching FIDE Presidential election in May 2006. This time the incumbent, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, will have real competition in Dutch businessman Bessel Kok, who has recently announced he is running next year. Kok has a long and successful history of involvement with top-level chess, and is a popular choice among players and fans alike. However, Ilyumzhinov's commitment to democratic principles is best illustrated by his subsequent announcement of a plan to force all candidates to deposit US $1 million with FIDE for the privilege of running.
Today's game comes from the early rounds of Khanty Mansyisk and features a nice build-up into a crushing attack by Vasilios Kotronias of Greece playing White against Ni Hua of China.
1.e4 e6
2.d4 d5
3.Nd2 Be7
4.Bd3 c5
5.dxc5 Nf6
6.Qe2 0-0
7.Ngf3 a5!?
Tempting White to advance e5 and attack the Black King. Black's defence will be based around manouvring his knights to control e4.
8.0-0 Na6
9.e5 Nd7
10.c3 Naxc5
11.Bc2 f6
12.exf6 Bxf6
13.Nb3 b6
14.Nxc5 Nxc5
15.Rd1 Ba6
16.Qe3 Qe8?!
A typical Tarrasch French struggle has been taking place - White trying to control the central dark squares and pressure Black's centre pawns, while Black tries to activate his pieces and pawns. The last move allows White to force either a weakening pawn advance in front of the Black King, or the exchange of his vital dark-squared Bishop - Better was 16 --- Qe7.
17.Ng5! Bxg5
18.Qxg5 Ne4
19.Qh4! ---
White calmly preserves his two fine Bishops and slowly sets about building and irresistible attack on the dark squares left vacant by the absent Black Bishop. Black can do nothing.
19. --- Qc6
20.Be3 h6
21.Qg4 Nf6
22.Qg3 Kh8
23.Bd4 b5
24.Re1 Qe8
25.Re5 Qf7
26.Rae1 Bc8
27.Qh4 Bd7
28.R1e3 b4
29.h3! ---
Having placed all his pieces in readiness, White takes a simple precaution against back-rank checks before the final onslaught.
29. --- bxc3
30.bxc3 Rab8
31.Rg3 Rb2
The threat of Reg5 meant Black's situation was desperate. Now mate can only be prevented by catastrophic material loss.
32.Bg6 Qe7
33.Rh5 Kg8
34.Rxh6! gxh6
35.Qxh6
Even giving up the Queen with 35 --- Qg7 will not delay mate for long.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rxh7+! Kxh7 (1 ... Kg8 2 Nxe7++ Kxh7 3 Qh4#) 2 Qh4+ Kg6 (2 ... Kg8 3 Nxe7#) 3 Nf4#)